On culture, education and community: Engaging as learners and leaders in Malawi
Kanton Reynolds, doctoral student, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University [Kanton@ymail.com]
Conference Track: Global community engagement and comparative studies
Format: Poster presentation
Summary
Malawi has faced myriad foundational issues through its period of post‐colonial independence. These issues include, but are not limited to: food security, fresh water availability, economic viability, impaired educational opportunities, decaying transportation networks, and energy dependence.
However, in a postcolonial context (Childs and Williams, 1997), we are seeing new leadership paradigms emerge, particularly with the evolutionary decline of Western‐derived epistemology along with the increasing espousal of decolonized thought processes (Jack et. al, 2011).
As non‐governmental organizations and other transnational entities engage to provide more access to competent higher education, how do indigenous institutions work to preserve the cultural & community values unique to the nation while still endeavoring to fashion highly competitive, globally engaged and innovative leaders?
Given the recent untimely death of President Bingu Mutharika, this research takes on even more significance. To avoid a power vacuum and the chaos that would surely ensue, generating and sustaining a continued sense of community and “connectedness” is essential.
Through interviews, observations, case studies and power-sensitive conversations, we will evaluate the leadership landscape in Malawi as a part of the emerging global normative synthesis (Etizoni, 2004) by aligning it to the multiple and complex developmental challenges faced by individuals in this region. The results of this research will reflect the rich cultural heritage of Malawians while embracing the “connected knowing” of the diaspora.
This research endeavors to establish an idealized framework for the practice of leadership development within a transitioning cultural and contextual environment by leveraging the use of indigenous research methodologies (Chilisa, 2012). These methods will characterize the engagement with informants and collaborators as well as generate genuine, informed portrayals of the prevailing conditions.
References
Bagshaw, M. (2009). How well does the American model of leadership travel? In M. Harvey & J. D. Barbour, (Eds.), Global leadership: Portraits of the past, visions for the future (pp. 51-64). College Park, MD: James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership.
Childs, P., & Williams, R.J.P. (1997). An introduction to post-colonial theory. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
Chilisa, B. (2012). Indigenous research methodologies. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Englund, H. (Ed.). (2002). Democracy of chameleons: Politics and culture in the new Malawi (Kachere Books, No. 14). Blantyre, Malawi: Christian Literature Association.
Etzioni, A. (2004). From empire to community: A new approach to international relations. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Glazer B.G., & Strauss, A.L. (1967). The discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago, IL: Aldine.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind: Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Jack, G., Westwood, R., Srinivas, N., & Sardar, Z. (2011). Deepening, broadening, and re-asserting a post-colonial interrogative space in organizational studies. Organization, 18(3), 275-302.
Jones, A., & Manda, D.L. (2006). Violence and ‘othering’ in colonial and post colonial Africa. Case Study: Banda’s Malawi. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 18(2), 197-213.
Lokkesmoe, K. (2011). Transforming global leadership: Applying the lessons learned from Brazil, India, and Nigeria toward the development of an integrated modal of global leadership. In J. Barbour & G. Hickman (Eds.), Leadership for transformation (pp. 197-225). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Nkomo, S. (2011). A postcolonial and anti-colonial reading of African leadership and management in organization studies: tensions, contradictions and possibilities. Organization, 18(3), 365-386.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Turner, J. C., Hogg, M. A., Oakes, P. J., Reicher, S. D., & Wetherell, M. S. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A self-categorization theory. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
To access materials from this session please click on the file link(s) below:
On culture, education and community: Engaging as learners and leaders in Malawi
Kanton Reynolds, doctoral student, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University [Kanton@ymail.com]
Keywords: Malawi, postcolonial, leadership development, technology, civic engagement
Conference Track: Global community engagement and comparative studies
Format: Poster presentation
Summary
Malawi has faced myriad foundational issues through its period of post‐colonial independence. These issues include, but are not limited to: food security, fresh water availability, economic viability, impaired educational opportunities, decaying transportation networks, and energy dependence.
However, in a postcolonial context (Childs and Williams, 1997), we are seeing new leadership paradigms emerge, particularly with the evolutionary decline of Western‐derived epistemology along with the increasing espousal of decolonized thought processes (Jack et. al, 2011).
As non‐governmental organizations and other transnational entities engage to provide more access to competent higher education, how do indigenous institutions work to preserve the cultural & community values unique to the nation while still endeavoring to fashion highly competitive, globally engaged and innovative leaders?
Given the recent untimely death of President Bingu Mutharika, this research takes on even more significance. To avoid a power vacuum and the chaos that would surely ensue, generating and sustaining a continued sense of community and “connectedness” is essential.
Through interviews, observations, case studies and power-sensitive conversations, we will evaluate the leadership landscape in Malawi as a part of the emerging global normative synthesis (Etizoni, 2004) by aligning it to the multiple and complex developmental challenges faced by individuals in this region. The results of this research will reflect the rich cultural heritage of Malawians while embracing the “connected knowing” of the diaspora.
This research endeavors to establish an idealized framework for the practice of leadership development within a transitioning cultural and contextual environment by leveraging the use of indigenous research methodologies (Chilisa, 2012). These methods will characterize the engagement with informants and collaborators as well as generate genuine, informed portrayals of the prevailing conditions.
References
Bagshaw, M. (2009). How well does the American model of leadership travel? In M. Harvey & J. D. Barbour, (Eds.), Global leadership: Portraits of the past, visions for the future (pp. 51-64). College Park, MD: James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership.
Childs, P., & Williams, R.J.P. (1997). An introduction to post-colonial theory. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
Chilisa, B. (2012). Indigenous research methodologies. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Englund, H. (Ed.). (2002). Democracy of chameleons: Politics and culture in the new Malawi (Kachere Books, No. 14). Blantyre, Malawi: Christian Literature Association.
Etzioni, A. (2004). From empire to community: A new approach to international relations. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Glazer B.G., & Strauss, A.L. (1967). The discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago, IL: Aldine.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind: Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Jack, G., Westwood, R., Srinivas, N., & Sardar, Z. (2011). Deepening, broadening, and re-asserting a post-colonial interrogative space in organizational studies. Organization, 18(3), 275-302.
Jones, A., & Manda, D.L. (2006). Violence and ‘othering’ in colonial and post colonial Africa. Case Study: Banda’s Malawi. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 18(2), 197-213.
Lokkesmoe, K. (2011). Transforming global leadership: Applying the lessons learned from Brazil, India, and Nigeria toward the development of an integrated modal of global leadership. In J. Barbour & G. Hickman (Eds.), Leadership for transformation (pp. 197-225). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Nkomo, S. (2011). A postcolonial and anti-colonial reading of African leadership and management in organization studies: tensions, contradictions and possibilities. Organization, 18(3), 365-386.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Turner, J. C., Hogg, M. A., Oakes, P. J., Reicher, S. D., & Wetherell, M. S. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A self-categorization theory. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
To access materials from this session please click on the file link(s) below: